Load coupling device for parachutes



May 27, 1947.l Y G. F. JONES 2,421,152

lLOAD COUPLING DEVICE FOR PARACHUTE'S Filed oct. 5, 1942/ Figi 1 27 TC Z/c Patented May 27, 1947 LOAD COUPLING DEVICE FOR PARACHUTES George Frederick Jones, Highgate, London, England, assignor of two-thirds to G. Q. Parachute Company, Limited, Woking, Surrey, England, a joint-stock corporation of Great Britain Application October 5, 1942, Serial No. 460,811 In Great Britain March 10, 1942 6 Claims.

This invention relates to load-carrying parachutes and more particularly to disconnectible means for coupling the load to a parachute-fitted carrier employing one or more parachutes.

The invention has for its principal object to provide an improved coupling device which, when the load reaches the ground, water or other terrestrial support, becomes automatically disconnected so as to release the parachute-fitted carrier.

Another object is to provide a latchng gear which will hold the load and parachute (or parachutes) in coupled relationship so long as the load is air-borne and to provide means for automatically opening or freeing said latching gear when the load is no longer air-borne.

A further object is to provide adjustable timing lmeans to predetermine a period of time, starting when the load becomes air-borne, before the lapse of which period, the disconnection of the load from the parachute or parachutes cannot possibly take place.

A still further object is to provide a safety device in the form of a member sheared by the i initial pull as soon as the load becomes air-borne after launching from e. g. an aircraft, which safety device otherwise prevents the disconnection of the load and parachute-fitted carrying means.

Other objects are to supply means engageable with the latching gear for resetting the latter and to utilise a moving part of the timing means as a temporary stop or bar to the opening or freeing of the latching gear.

The invention is hereinafter described with ref erence to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a part-sectional elevation of a coupling device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, parts being'broken away.

Fig, 3 is a part-sectional elevation on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows two screw clamps" used for setting ,the coupling device in engaged position, part being broken away.

In the construction illustrated, the coupling members consist of a roller i0 mountedV upon an axle I! carried between two parallel links or plates I2, and a box I3 along whichA the roller can travel in a direction towards or away from an axis Ill on which the box is pivoted, the two links I2 and the pivotal axis I4 being connected respectively to the load and to the parachute, or vice versa; the links I2 are shown integral with a cross bar 52a, forming a shackle, and a similar shackle Iii` is mountedon the pivotal axis Iii. The

tread of the roller I0 engages with two opposite sides of the box, one of these sides l3a being rigid and the other being formed by an abutment lever I6 hinged upon a pin or bolt I1 between cheeks I8 extending from the remaining two sides I3b I3c of the box; the latter sides, with their extensions or cheeks I8, may be integral with the rigid side I3a but are preferably separate and held rmly together by bolts I9 passing through holes in the rigid side or back of the box. The hinged side or abutment lever I6 has a flat portion |60, along which the roller f can travel and an oblique face |61) against which the roller abuts when drawn along by the pull in the load connections. Behind this abutment face |617, the hinged side or lever I6 has a cranked or offset portion 20 through which the hinge pin Il passes. At the other end of the flat portion, the hinged side or lever I6 has an arm 2| extending at right angles thereto across the open end and past the rigid side i3d of the box, where it overhangs a timing cylinder 22 having a plunger or piston rod 23 movable parallel to the roller Ill. The extremity 24 of the plunger engages in the forked end 2Ia of the arm, which carries a roller 25 engaging with the side of the plunger. In the position shown, the plunger holds the at portion 15a of the hinged side or lever i6 parallel to the rigid side I3a of the b'ox, and is itself' latched in engagement by a springcontrolled rod 26 slidable along a hole 2lb in the arm 2l, one end of the rod entering a notch or groove 23a on the plunger as the rod slides towards the forked end 2 I a.

This abutment lever i6 constitutes the intermediate or latching gear which locks the coupling members in engagement.

A transverse hole 2Ic' in the lever arm 2l is normally engaged by a bevel-edged peg 2l upon a block 28 sliding inside the box I3, this block supporting the axle II and roller Ill and moving together with them but in contact with the rigid side I3a of the box. When the' peg 21 is fully engaged in the arm, a safety pin 29 made of soft metal is pushed through transversely aligned holes in the axle Il and cheeks I8, so as to keep the block 28 at the adjacent end of the box, the roller lo being therefore clear of the abutment face I-b of the lever; the applicationv of a suincient pull to the shackles I2, I2 and I5,through their connections between the parachute and the load, will cause the shearing of this-safety pinV 29, thus allowing the peg 21 to withdraw from the hole ZIc and the block 28 to slide along the box I3' until the roller I0 comes into contact with the oblique abutment face I6b by a preliminary movement between the coupling members. From this condition, corresponding to the moment when the parachute begins to support the load, the timing cylinder 22 comes into action to determine the point at which the coupling members IU and I3 are to be left free to disengage automatically when the load is taken up by the ground or other support.

So long as the load connections remain under tension, with the coupling roller IIl bearing upon the rigid side I3a of the box and pressed against the oblique abutment face I 6b on the opposite side, the force acting upon this oblique face tends to maintain the abutment lever I6 in its normal position, with the flat portion I a parallel to the rigid side I3a of the box; a contrary moment is applied to the abutment lever by a pair of tension springs 3Q attached to the opposite ends of a pin 3I extending transversely of the lever, these springs being housed for the greater part of their length between the fixed parallel cheeks I8 of the box and attached at their other ends to a distance piece 32 clamped between the cheeks I8 by a bolt 33. The springs 39 exert a constant control tending to shift the abutment lever I6 from its normal position, the strength of the springs and the distance between their line of action and the hingeV pin I'I being so selected that so long as there is any considerable pull upon the load connections, the reaction at the oblique abutment face IGb remains sufiicient for overcoming the spring control. As soon, however, as the load connections are substantially relieved of tension, for example by the load hitting the ground or some object thereon, the force acting on the abutment face Ib will vanish and the springs 30 will cause the abutment lever I6 to swing outwards around its hinge pinY I1 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1; the oblique abutment face I6b will thus be moved aside from the roller I0, releasing the latter together with its fittings, so that the parachute and its load will part.

Before the abutment lever I5 can be moved from its normal position, it is necessary for the timing cylinder 22 to free the lever by withdrawing the extremity 24 of its plunger from the roller 25 in the forked end of the abutment lever arm 2l; the initial pull upon the load connections will have sheared off the safety pin 29 passing through the axle I I of the roller-supporting block 28 and drawn this block along the box I 3 until the roller I!) presses against the abutment face IEb, the peg 21 being thereby removed from its hole 2 Ic into which the end of the springcontrolled rod 26 can slide so as to withdraw its other end from the notch or groove 23a on th plunger.

The timing cylinder 22 now begins its operation; the plunger 23 is provided with a piston 3A fitting inside the cylinder barrel 35, from the two ends of which the plunger projects through suitable packing 3B to prevent escape of oil or other liquid with which the cylinder is filled; at the end adjacent to the lever arm 2|, the cylinder is fitted with a guide block 22a supporting another roller 25 engaging with the plunger 23 on the side opposite to that engaged by the roller 25 on the arm 2I. A spring 3T, coiled around the plunger on one side of the piston 34,V tends to force it towards the opposite end of the cylinder, the oil being allowed to pass through channels 38 in the cylinder body and the rate of flow being controlled by a metering device such as an adjustable needle valve or, (as shown), a screw plug 39 with a calibrated oriiice.

By adjustment of the needle valve or exchange of the screw plug 39, the rate of travel of the plunger 23 may be varied to give the required delay in the withdrawal of its extremity 24 from the forked end 2Ia of the abutment lever arm, after which the force acting upon the abutment face Ib will continue to hold the lever in its normal position so long as its moment about the hinge axis exceeds the contrary moment due to the springs 30.

It will be noted that the introduction of the delay-action mechanism represented by the timing cylinder 22 prevents the parting of the load connections by undesired separation of the coupling members, for example in the early stages of the drop, when the application of the support afforded by the parachute to the falling load may set up vibrations in the connections; unless time is given to allow the conditions to become stable, there will be a danger of the load being released prematurely in mid-air.

When engaging the parts of the coupling, the abutment lever i6 must be brought to normal position against the action of the control springs 3), and the timing cylinder 22 must have its plunger returned against the action of the spring 3l. For these purposes, two separate devices may be employed, as shown in Fig. 4. The abutment lever I6 is engaged by the point of a clamping screw 4B mounted in the boss 4I of a spider 42, the legs of which are hooked over and under the pins or bolts Il and 33 between the cheeks I8; upon turning the screw 4I] by means of its head 43, the lever I6 can be forced back into normal position, ready for the peg E7 to be en gaged in the transverse hole 2Ic of the lever arm. The projecting extremity of the plunger 23, which is iitted with a nut 23h forming a stop to limit its inward movement, is similarly engaged by the point of a screw M mounted in the boss 45 of a clamp 45, the other end of which is forked at 4'! to t on either side of the guide block 22a; the point of the screw 44 is shown provided with a washer member 44a to engage the plunger nut 23h. When the screw 44 is turned by means of its head 41, the plunger 23 will be forced back against the action of the spring 31, the oil or other liquid iiowing back through the channels 38; the other end of the plunger is thus pushed through between the two guide rollers 25 until the nut 23h abuts against the end of the cylinder. The notch or groove 23a will then be in line with the slidable rod 26, which engages therein under the action of its control spring 26a or may be forced into engagement by the bevelled face 21a of the peg 21 when the latter is lifted into the hole 2Ic of the lever arm; in order to enable the angular position of the notch or groove 23a to be checked in relation to the rod 26, an index may be marked on the end of the plunger, which can be turned by means of the nut 23h, if necessary. The insertion of the safety pin 29 will complete the locking of the coupling members and the clamping devices can then be removed.

The guiding of the plunger 23 between the two rollers 25, one mounted in the forked end 2h: of the abutment lever arm and the other in the guide block 22a on the cylinder, reduces the frictional resistance to movement; of the plunger so that the time of operation is less affected by possible variations of that resistance than in the case of a plainguidehole inwhichthe plunger might bind under pressure.

'I'he automatically disconnectible couplings of this invention have been designed. more particularly for.- parachutes to be utilised in the laying of mines, the launching of rescue-boats andthe dropping of containers for` the delivery of supplies or equipment to air-borne troops who have landed.

The sequence of operations in the device illustrated, is the following. The initial pull applied to the shackles l2, 20. and I5, as soon as the load becomes air-borne by deployment of the parachute, shears the pin 29, thus allowing the peg 21 and block 28 to slide until the roller Il! contacts with the abutment face IED. Due to this preliminary movement the parachute now supports the load through contact between the parts l and lh. The delay-action mechanism commences to function as the rod 26 moves across the hole 2lc vacated by the peg 21, and leaves the groove 23a in the plunger rod 24. The plunger rod commences its travel under the action of the spring 3l and finally escapes from the fork arm 2|, the weight of the load holding the roller l0 on the face IBD, still locking the coupling members together.

When the load contacts with the ground, the force acting on the face |61) is automatically removed and the springs 3i) thereupon pull over the pivoted lever I6 with its fork arm 2l so as to open the latching gear. The load-carrying shackle I2, |2a, roller l and block 28 thereby become freed from the remainder of the parachute-carried latching gear, so that the coupling members separate under the pull of their respective connections, the load being thus released from the parachute.

It will be noted that the preliminary movement of the parts l2-IQ-2 following the shearing of the safety pin 29 as a result of the initial pull of the load-connected member upon the parachute, causes the roller l@ to make contact with the oblique abutment face ilb, and the load-connected member thereby assumes its second position upon the latching gear.

Any convenient form of delay-action mechanism may be substituted for the timing cylinder described in connection with the above embodiment of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Coupling device for connecting a load to a parachutecomprising a irst member connected to the load, a second member connected to the parachute, a latching gear arranged between said iirst and second members and adapted to hold said members in engagement so long as the airborne load is acting upon said latching gear, means for transferring the load-connected member whilst engaged by said latching gear from a preliminary to a second position on said latching gear, means for freeing the load-connected member from said second position when the load is no longer air-borne, and adjustable means for delaying the action of said freeing-means until after the lapse of a predetermined period of time.

2. Coupling device for connecting a load to a parachute, comprising a first member connectible with the load, a second member connectible with the parachute, a latching gear arranged between said first and second members and adapted to hold them together so long as the airborne load is acting upon said latching gear, a shearable pin interposed between said rst and second. members, means for transferring the load-connected member from a preliminaryV to a second position upon saidf latching gear, means for automatically freeing the load-connected member from said second position when the weight is nolonger air-borne and adjustable timingmeans for preventing said freeing means from coming into operation within a limited period after shearing of said. pin for transfer of said load-connected member to said second position.

3. Coupling device for connecting loads to parachutes, comprising a iirst member connectible with a load, a second member connectible with a parachute, a latching gear arranged between said irst and second members and adapted to hold them in coupled engagement so long as the load is air-borne, means for transferring the load-connected member from a preliminary to a second position on said latching gear means for releasing said latching gear to permit disconnection of said rst and second members when the load is no longer air-borne, means for preventing the operation of said releasing means until after the lapse of a predetermined period of time from the said transfer from the prelimmary to second position, and means for controlling the commencement of the time-period.

4. Disconnectible coupling means for coupling a load to a parachute, comprising a rst member connectible with the load, a second member connectible with a parachute, a latching gear interposed between said rst and second members and locking said members in engagement so long as the air-borne load is acting upon said gear, said latching gear including a pivoted abutment lever having an oblique face thereon, and a roller engaging with the oblique face of said abutment lever and against which face the said roller is drawn by the pull in the load connections, said abutment lever being thereby held in a locking position to obstruct disconnecting movement of the said nrst and second members by a force acting between the said two members in consequence of the load being air-borne, and means for automatically freeing said latching gear when the load is no longer air-borne.

5. Coupling device for connecting loads to parachutes, including a rst member connectible with a load, a second member connectible with a parachute, a latching gear interposed between said rst and second members and locking them in engagement so long as the air-borne load is acting upon it, said latching gear comprising a spring-fitted abutment lever with an oblique face, a forked arm at the free end of said abutment lever, said lever and forked arm secured to said second member, a pivoted roller engaging the oblique face of said lever, and a peg movable with said roller, said roller and peg secured to said first member, means for displacing said abutment lever to release said latching gear, and a timing mechanism for controlling the operation of said lever-displacing means, said timing mechanism and said peg being engageable with said forked arm.

6. In a coupling device, a latching gear including a box connectible with a parachute and having a movable side formed by an abutment lever pivoted on said box, a forked arm at the free end of said lever, said arm having an aperture therein, an oblique face to said lever, a block movable within said box and connectible with a load to be carried by a parachute, a peg integral with said block, a roller carried by said 7 s block, said peg normally engaging the aperture in said arm, said roller contacting with said UNITED STATES PATENTS oblique face to hold said block enclosed in said Number Name Date bOX S0 10mg as the said load is air-borne, and 115071705 Miner Sept 9 1921 time-controlled means for swinging said lever to 6 1,845,455 Wimams Feb. 16, 1932 free said roller from Contact with said oblique 2,057,599 Wimams Oct. 20, 1936 face when the load is no longer air-borne. v 211311445 Lawton Sept. 27, 1938 GEORGE FREDERICK JONES' 2,234,752 Fleerl Mar, 11, 1941 REFERENCES CITED 10 2.2701317 Larson Jan. 20, 194:2

The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

